Wesley transfer is another hit for USC hoops

An already struggling USC basketball program took a major hit Wednesday when leading scorer and rebounder Byron Wesley announced that he intends to transfer.

Wesley, a 6-foot-5 guard who averaged 17.8 points and 6.4 rebounds per game as a junior this past season, said he is on track to graduate this summer. By earning his degree, Wesley would be able to transfer to a Division I school and play next season, per NCAA rules.

On his Twitter account, Wesley, who attended Etiwanda High in Rancho Cucamonga, did not specify his reason for leaving USC. The Trojans went 11-21 this season and finished last in the Pac-12 Conference for the second time in Wesley’s three years.

Wesley offered thanks to “my coaches for helping me become a better player, my teammates for all of the great memories and fans for the support.”

Wesley and first-year coach Andy Enfield clashed at least once this season. Wesley, soft-spoken off the court, surprisingly received a two-game suspension from Enfield in late February for an undisclosed violation of team rules. Wesley returned and played the final five games of the season.

“We wish Byron well, and we thank him for his valuable contributions to our program,” Enfield said in a statement. “We are happy for him that he will leave USC with his degree. He had a very productive career here, and I am sure he will do well wherever his career takes him.”

Wesley’s departure is certain to create another headache for Enfield, who recently completed a rough first season at USC, both on and off the court.

After a 9-4 start, USC went 2-17 in Pac-12 play. J.T. Terrell was held out early in the season for academic reasons, and fellow senior Pe’Shon Howard served a midseason suspension.

USC goes forward without any of its top four scorers from the 2013-14 season, as Howard, Terrell and Omar Oraby have used all their eligibility. Roschon Prince, a part-time contributor as a freshman this season, recently announced that he intends to transfer to Long Beach State.

The top returning scorer and rebounder will be Nikola Jovanovic, who averaged 8.0 points and 4.4 rebounds as an inconsistent freshman forward. Freshman guard Julian Jacobs is the only other returning Trojan who started more than four games in 2013-14.

USC will be helped by the debuts of guard Katin Reinhardt and forward Darion Clark, both of whom had to sit out the 2013-14 season after transferring.

Wesley’s transfer likely means that two well-regarded incoming freshmen, guard Jordan McLaughlin and forward Malik Price-Martin, will have to play bigger-than-expected roles next season.